Anthony Andreano is a Will County Divorce Lawyer with offices in downtown Joliet next to the courthouse - He is an attorney with 20 years of courtroom experience handling family law matters including uncontested and contested divorces, child support, custody and visitation disputes, alimony, property division, paternity issues, post divorce and other family law matters. Call for a consultation at (815) 954-8175 or visit us online at the link below:

Andreano and Lyons - WEBSITE LINK

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Parental Notice of Abortion Act Upheld by Illinois Supreme Court

Today, in the case of The Hope Clinic for Women, Ltd. v. Flores
the Illinois Supreme Court issued an opinion upholding the constitutionality of a law called the
"Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995". With some exceptions, that law
prohibits a doctor from performing an abortion on a minor unless an adult
family member is first given notice.

The decision make clear that Illinois law certainly
recognizes the right to an abortion. It is also clear that the protections under Illinois law
are the same as those provided by federal law under the "due process"
clause of the US Constitution. The problem here came in not as a due process issue but as a privacy issue. The court had to wrestle with the issue of whether the notice provision
of the Act violates privacy rights. Specifically, does it interfere with a minor’s right to keep medical information
confidential? Here the Court basically stated that while the notice provision
may interfere with that right, such intrusions were not
"unreasonable" which was necessary to defeat the Act.

You can read the entire case here and get into the details of the Court's reasoning. Much discussion is had in how the court interprets the Illinois Constitution in relation to the US Constitution. Illinois basically follows federal law but not in every instance. It gets confusing - sometimes even for lawyers.

Note: just because I reported what the decisions was, it is not reflective of my personal opinion which I reserve for me and my maker.

Other Resources

Anthony Andreano, Will County Divorce Attorney

Anthony Andreano is a Will County divorce attorney practicing in Joliet, Illinois handling all types of family law cases including custody, property division, child support, maintenance/alimony, visitation disputes, paternity and grandparent rights cases. I have been in practice for over 16 years and my cases are limited to those pending in Will County with some litigation in Grundy County. Law Office located at: 58 N Chicago Street Suite 506 Joliet, IL 60432 Phone: (815) 954-8175 Website: www.andreanoandlyons.comCommunity Involvement: I am the immediate past President of the School Board for the Troy Consolidated 30-C located in Will County - one of the fastest growing counties in Illinois. I am also on the Board of Directors for Guardian Angel Community Services, an agency that was started in 1897 by the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate to care for orphaned, dependent and needy children. GACS has grown into a county-wide agency that champions the cause of not only foster children but disadvantaged students, their families and those suffering from the effects of sexual assault and domestic violence.